As they ventured deeper into the Snake Forest, the surroundings became increasingly dim. Towering ancient trees rose all around them, tall and straight, with branches and leaves entangled in a chaotic web, blocking out all light. Only in some sparsely spaced areas could a few rays of sunlight penetrate through.
Occasionally, small snakes launched surprise attacks from the treetops, but they posed no threat to the group, easily dealt with by the team. During these encounters, Yang Ye didn't even have a chance to take action as Qing Hong was always by his side, swiftly dealing with any snake that dared to attack. This led to Yang Ye being taunted by Xiu Yuan during their journey.
After spending a few hours with this group, Yang Ye gained some understanding of the strength of sect disciples and wandering cultivators. There was quite a difference between them. Sect disciples had access to cultivation resources, sword techniques, and mystic treasures. On the other hand, the four individuals accompanying Yang Ye, apart from Xiu Yuan whose weapon was a low-grade Yellow-ranked item, didn't possess any decent equipment. Most of them relied on brute force to fight, lacking any noteworthy mystic techniques.
Yang Ye simply ignored Xiu Yuan's mockery and disdain. Although Xiu Yuan was a Ninth Rank Mystic, Yang Ye didn't consider him a threat at all. Yang Ye believed he could handle Xiu Yuan even if he had to deal with the person responsible for killing Du Jun.
The disparity between sect disciples and wandering cultivators was truly significant.
As they proceeded deeper into the Snake Forest, the number of coiled snakes hanging from the trees increased. Eventually, every ten meters or so, the group would face sudden snake attacks from various directions.
"Chi!"
Qing Hong swiftly swung her dagger, slicing through a snake that descended from above Yang Ye's head. The snake's body fell to the ground in two pieces.
After beheading the snake, Qing Hong patted Yang Ye's head and said, "Didn't I tell you to stay close to me? These small snakes may not be high-ranked, but they carry potent venom. If you get bitten, it will be troublesome."
Hearing her words, Yang Ye touched his nose and couldn't help but chuckle. He could stand there and let those small snakes bite him; they probably couldn't even pierce his skin. However, he was touched by Qing Hong's concern. Despite their chance encounter, this woman had repeatedly taken care of him, warming his heart.
"Swoosh!"
Just then, a large python with wings suddenly landed not far ahead of them. This python was even larger than the King Python Yang Ye had killed before. Its body was pitch-black with scales resembling mystic iron, and it possessed a pair of jet-black wings.
The python didn't immediately attack Yang Ye and the others but rather blocked their path. Its enormous eyes glared at them with a fierce and savage look.
"This is an Eight Rank Mystic Beast, the Double-Winged Snake. Be cautious, everyone."
Upon seeing the appearance of the Double-Winged Snake, the leader, Man Zi, surged with vigor, his face turning serious as he warned. Meanwhile, Xiu Yuan and Xiao Hei quickly moved several meters to the left and right, their faces filled with vigilance towards the Double-Winged Snake.
Qing Hong, who stood beside Yang Ye, immediately took out her longbow and equipped a mystic iron arrow, aiming at the Double-Winged Snake in the distance.
"Man Zi, kill it! The internal core of this Double-Winged Snake alone can fetch at least five thousand gold coins, not to mention its snake skin which is easily worth a thousand gold coins. How about it?" Xiu Yuan's eyes shimmered with greed as he spoke in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, a greedy glint flashed in Man Zi's eyes as well. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "The three of us will surround it from three sides, with Qing Hong providing support with her bow. Let's kill it!"
With that, Man Zi, Xiao Hei, and Xiu Yuan immediately charged toward the Double-Winged Snake, their favorite targets being lone Mystic Beasts.
Qing Hong, who stood beside Yang Ye, kept her gaze fixed on the Double-Winged Snake, her arrow ready, but she didn't release it just yet. She was waiting for the perfect opportunity, a fatal opening, as her arrow wouldn't be able to penetrate the Mystic Beast's defenses otherwise.
The group's initial goal was to hunt Mystic Beasts of the sixth or seventh rank, as they were within their capabilities. However, encountering an eighth rank Mystic Beast that was alone stirred their interest. Although eighth rank Mystic Beasts possessed formidable defenses and often moved in groups, this particular one was an exception.
As the group approached, the Double-Winged Snake became visibly agitated. Its emerald eyes emitted a fierce glint, and it vigorously flapped its wings, generating a gust of wind that gushed toward Man Zi and the others.
Feeling the gust of wind, the three of them grew alarmed and quickly infused their weapons with their Mystic Qi before striking against the wind.
In no time, they broke through the gust of wind and closed in on the Double-Winged Snake. The three of them displayed considerable experience, avoiding the snake's tail and the venomous liquid it spat out. Moreover, whenever the snake pounced on one of them, a qi-infused arrow would swiftly fly, forcing the Double-Winged Snake to abandon its attack.
For a moment, the four individuals and the Double-Winged Snake engaged in a fierce battle, neither side gaining the upper hand.
Observing the fight in the field, Yang Ye shook his head inwardly. Although the four of them displayed decent coordination, their combat abilities were lacking. While they seemed to have the advantage against the Double-Winged Snake, they couldn't inflict any damage on it. However, if the snake managed to attack any one of them, that person would undoubtedly be severely injured, if not killed.
Furthermore, if one of them got injured, the other two would be in great danger.
Comparing himself to the group, Yang Ye realized how formidable he was when he killed the sixth rank Mystic Beast with his bare fists, as he managed to break through its defense.
"No, we can't defeat this Double-Winged Snake. Its defenses are too strong for the three of us to handle!" Xiu Yuan's eyes flickered as he calculated the situation, feeling uncertain.
Not only did he have this thought, but Xiao Hei and Man Zi on the side also had the same idea. At first, they thought that the four of them would be able to handle the eighth rank Mystic Beast with their combined strength. However, they soon realized that they couldn't even break through the Double-Winged Snake's defense.
"It seems like being a mercenary isn't as easy as it seems!" Yang Ye muttered under his breath as he prepared to step forward and help. But just as he was about to do so, a sudden change occurred. Xiu Yuan, who was originally responsible for the right side, suddenly retreated while the Double-Winged Snake was attacking Man Zi. He quickly moved backward, almost disappearing into the forest with a few leaps.
"Shameless!" The three remaining individuals in the battle grew furious at Xiu Yuan's sudden departure. Qing Hong's beautiful face flushed with anger, and she had the intention to shoot an arrow at Xiu Yuan. However, seeing the Double-Winged Snake aggressively attacking Man Zi, she had to abandon that thought and swiftly shot her arrows at the snake instead.
Observing Xiu Yuan's escape, Yang Ye shook his head inwardly. He had initially thought that Xiu Yuan was simply arrogant, but he never expected him to be so cowardly and abandon his teammates to save himself.
With Xiu Yuan suddenly leaving, and without his support on one side, the pressure on Man Zi and Xiao Hei increased exponentially. However, neither of them retreated because if one of them did, the remaining person would undoubtedly meet a fatal end.
"Yang Ye, run!" Qing Hong turned her head and shouted at Yang Ye before turning back and pulling the bowstring. Arrow after arrow swiftly flew towards the Double-Winged Snake. She couldn't leave because without her containment, Man Zi and Xiao Hei would be doomed.
Hearing Qing Hong's words, Yang Ye felt a warmth in his heart. Even in this situation, the woman in front of him was still thinking about his safety. He tightened his grip on the Dark Iron Sword in his hand, preparing to take action. However, another sudden change occurred in the field. One of Qing Hong's arrows whistled through the air and directly struck the right eye of the Double-Winged Snake.
"Hiss..." The intense pain instantly drove the Double-Winged Snake into a frenzy. Its massive body thrashed violently on the ground, disregarding Man Zi and Xiao Hei. The two huge wings flapped forcefully, creating a powerful gust of wind as it lunged towards Qing Hong, who was still in the process of aiming her bow.
Seeing the Double-Winged Snake rushing towards Qing Hong, her face turned pale. The snake's speed was as fast as lightning, arriving in front of Qing Hong within a few breaths. Then, the snake's massive mouth opened wide, and it aimed a bloodthirsty bite at Qing Hong's pale face.
"No!" Witnessing the Double-Winged Snake attacking Qing Hong, Man Zi's eyes widened in horror. He let out a desperate roar and rushed towards the snake as if he had gone mad.